President Donald Trump has reportedly given Iran a narrow three-to-five-day window to present a unified counterproposal, warning that the temporary ceasefire he extended could soon expire if no progress is made.
According to U.S. officials, the ceasefire extension is not indefinite and is intended to push Iran’s leadership to align on a clear negotiating position. American negotiators remain cautiously optimistic that a deal to end the conflict — including resolving concerns over Iran’s nuclear program — is still within reach. However, uncertainty over who holds real decision-making power in Tehran is complicating the process.
At the center of the issue is Iran’s fragmented leadership. Supreme authority appears weakened, with Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly out of regular communication. Meanwhile, divisions between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and civilian negotiators have intensified, creating a leadership vacuum that has stalled diplomatic progress.
U.S. officials say tensions became evident following initial talks in Islamabad, where senior IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi rejected key points discussed by Iran’s own diplomatic team. The divide became public when Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a move the IRGC refused to enforce, instead openly criticizing him.
Further complicating negotiations, Iran has yet to provide a meaningful response to the latest U.S. proposal and has declined to commit to a second round of talks in Pakistan. The internal power struggle has been partly attributed to the assassination of Ali Larijani earlier this year, a key figure who previously helped unify Iran’s national security decision-making.
His successor, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, is seen as lacking the authority to bridge the widening gap between military and civilian leadership.
Inside Washington, frustration has been mounting. Vice President JD Vance had prepared to lead renewed peace talks in Islamabad, but shifting signals from Tehran forced a last-minute cancellation. U.S. envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, also halted travel plans as negotiations stalled.
During a high-level national security meeting, Trump weighed options ranging from intensified military action targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure to extending diplomatic efforts. He ultimately opted to give diplomacy more time, signaling a reluctance to escalate further.
Sources close to the administration suggest Trump believes the U.S. has already maximized its military leverage and is now focused on ending the conflict through negotiation. However, the military option remains on standby if diplomatic efforts collapse.
Attention is now on whether Iran’s leadership will break its silence and return to negotiations within the limited timeframe. Mediators are awaiting a clear directive from Tehran that could determine the next phase of the crisis.
Despite extending the ceasefire, Trump continues to rely heavily on economic pressure, particularly a naval blockade that he claims is severely restricting Iran’s financial capacity. He has argued that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would only occur under conditions that support a broader agreement.
With the clock ticking, the coming days are expected to be critical in determining whether diplomacy prevails or tensions escalate once again.
